Rim curling apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

Initiating and curling rollers contacting an edge portion of a carton at spaced-apart locations along the container edge are rotated about the edge portion of the container for rolling the container edge portion.

United States Patent Alfred W. Kinney Kansas City, Mo.

June 1 l, 1970 Jan. 1 1, 1972 Phillips Petroleum Company Inventor Appl.No. Filed Patented Assignee RIM CURLING APPARATUS AND METHOD 9 Claims, 3Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 93/36.5, 72/126, 113/120 AA Int. Cl B3lb l/00 Field of Search93/365,

36.1,39.l;72/126; li3/12OAA [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS1,038,715 9/1912 Beadle 93/365 2,278,299 3/1942 Barbieri 93/365 FOREIGNPATENTS 930,808 7/1955 Germany 113/120 AA Primary Examiner- BernardStickney AttorneyYoung and Quigg ABSTRACT: Initiating and curlingrollers contacting an edge portion of a carton at spaced-apart locationsalong the container edge are rotated about the edge portion of thecontainer for rolling the container edge portion.

PATENTEU JAM 1 I972 SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTOR. A.W. KINNEY ATTORNEYSPAIENIEQJMHM ale-333L469 SHEET 2 OF 2 FIG. 3

INVENTOR. AW. KINNEY BY q w rv ATTORNEYS RIM CURLING APPARATUS ANDMETHOD Owing to the resilience of materials for forming containers, suchas paperboard containers for example, when forming a rolled edge portionon the container, said edge portion must generally be rolled through agreater are than is desired of the resultant product. This inventiontherefore provides an apparatus and method for forming a uniform rollededge portion on a container. Other aspects, objects, and advantages ofthe present invention will become apparent from a study of thedisclosure, the appended claims, and the drawing.

The drawings are diagrammatic and axonometric views of the apparatus ofthis invention.

FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows the shafts and initiating rollers,

FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows the curling rollers and associatedelements with the initiating rollers, and

FIG. 3 shows an axonometric view of the apparatus of this invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the walls 2 and upper edge portion 4 of acontainer, such as a paperboard ice cream container for example, areshown with at least one initiating roller 6 positioned adjacent thecontainer edge portion 4. The roller 6 is rotatable about an axis of thecontainer and movable along the container axis between the firstposition (shown) at which a cam surface 8 of the roller 6 is spaced fromthe container edge portion 4 and a second position at which a portion ofthe container edge portion 4 is lying along the cam surface 8 (betterseen in FIG. 2) that extends outwardly and downwardly relative to thewalls 2 of the container 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, at least one curling roller 10 is spaced an arcuatedistance from the initiating roller 6 relative to the container axis.The curling roller 10 is rotatable about an axis of the container andmovable along the container axis between a first position at which a camsurface 12 of the curling roller 10 is spaced from the container edgeportion 4 and a second position (shown) at which a portion of thecontainer edge portion 4 is lying along the cam surface 12 of thecurling roller 10 that extends inwardly and upwardly relative to thewalls 2 of the container.

Means are associated with the rollers 6, 10 for rotating the initiatingroller along the container edge portion 4 and moving said roller betweenits first and second positions and rotating the curling roller along thecontainer edge portion 4 and moving said roller between its first andsecond positions. These means comprise a supporting element 14, a togglearm 16, first and second shafts 18, 20, a pin 22, biasing means 24, anda power means 26.

The supporting element 14 has first and second ends 28, 30.

An initiating roller 6 is rotatably attached to a first end 28 of Atoggle arm 16 is pivotally connected to a second end 30 of 5 5 thesupporting element 14. The toggle arm 16 has first and second ends 32,34 with a curling roller 10 rotatably attached to the first end 32. Thetoggle arm 16 and associated curling roller 10 are pivotally movablebetween a first position at which the curling roller 10 is spaced fromthe container edge portion 4 and a second position at which the curlingroller 10 is at its second position (shown).

A first shaft 18 is fixedly attached at an end 36 to the supportingelement 14, rotatable about its axis, and movable along its axis from afirst position at which the associated initiating roller 6 is at itsfirst position and a second position (shown) at which the initiatingroller 6 is at its second positron.

An upper portion 38 of the first shaft extends coaxially into alongitudinally extending chamber 40 of a second shaft 20 which opens onthe end 42 of said second shaft 20. The upper portions 38 of the firstshaft 18 has a longitudinally extending slot 44 formed therethrough andsaid first shaft 18 is rotatably fixed to and slidably mounted in thesecond shaft 20 by a pin 22 extending through the second shaft 20 andthe slot 44 of the first shaft l8..A conical cam surface is mountedabout an end portion 48 of the second shaft 20. This cam surface 46extends downwardly and inwardly toward the end 42 about thecircumference of the second shaft 20. The second shaft 20 is rotatableabout its axis and movable along its axis between a first position atwhich the initiating roller. 6 and the curling roller 10 are at theirfirst positions and a second position at whichthe second end of thetoggle arm l6v is in contact with the cam surface 46 and the initiatingroller 6 is at its second position.

A biasing means 24, such as a helical spring for example, is associatedwith the first and second shafts 18, 20 for urging the end 36 of thefirst shaft 18 in a axial direction from the end 42 of the second shaft20. The biasing means 24 is compressible by forces exerted on the firstshaft 18 by the edge portion 2 of the container. The biasing means 24maintains the second shaft 20 at its first position until the firstshaft 18 has reached its second position and thereafter is compressiblefor movement of the second shaft from its first to its second position.

A power means 26, such as a variable speed electric motor attached to anair or hydraulic cylinder for example, is connected to the second shaft24 rotating and reciprocating the second shaft 20 and associatedelements along and about the axis of a coaxially adjacently positionedcontainer. Altemately, the container may be moved axially to engage, theedge curler. Also the container may be rotated. In order to increase thespeed of the edge curling operation and reduce the amount of springbackduring curling of the edge portion, it is preferred that the supportingelementv 14 have a plurality of first and second ends 28, 30 with anindividual initiating roller 6 attached to each of the first ends 28 andan individual curling roller 10 attached to each of the second ends 30.

For speeding the curling operation while maintaining a slow initialcurling speed to prevent tearing of the edge portion 4 of the containerduring initial stretching, it is preferred that the power source 26 beof variable speed whereby the rotational speed and/or advancement of thesecond shaft 20 toward the container can be maintained at one rateduringmovement of the initiating roller 6 from the first to the secondposition and thereafter rotate and/or advance the second shaft 20 towardthe container at a greater rate during movement of the curling roller 10from the first to the second position.

The axes of rotation between the initiating and the curling roller 6, 10are preferably angularly disposed about 60 relative to one another whenthe curling roller is at its second position for permitting the camsurface of the rollers 6, 10 to be of substantially the sameconfiguration thereby simplifying the apparatus while maintaining thecapability of producing a high-angle roll on the edge portion of thecontainer.

In the operation of the apparatus of this invention, a container ispositioned adjacent the apparatus and coaxially aligned with the shafts18, 20. The power source 26 then rotates the second shaft 20 whichrotates the initiating roller 6 through pin 22 about the common axis.The initiating roller 6 is then advanced by the power source, 26 fromthe first position of the roller to its second position. During movementof the initiating roller 6 from itsfirst to its secondposition, the camsurface 8 of said roller 6 contacts the edge portion 4 of the container.Further advancement from the first toward the second position of thefirst and second shafts 18, 20 and associated roller 6 while rotatingthe roller about the axis of the container urges the container edgeportion 4 across the cam surface 8 and outwardly and downwardly relativeto the walls 2 of the container. As the edge portion 4 of the containeris moved across the cam surface 8 of the roller 6 the upwardly directiveforces exerted against the roller 6 by the edge portion 4 becomegreater, thereby causing the biasing means to compress andthe secondshaft 20 to slide over. the first shaft 18. Continued advancementfurther compresses the biasing means 24 to a position at which the camsurface 46 of the second shaft 20 contacts the toggle arm 16 and movesthe toggle arm and associated curling roller 10 from their first totheir second positions.

The initiation of movement of the curling roller from the first to thesecond position should be after the edge portion has been directedoutwardly and downwardly across the cam surface of the initiating roller6. The compression factor of the biasing means 24 must therefore be suchthat the curling rollers 10 are not moved into contact with the edgeportion 4 of the container until the initiating rollers 6 have reachedtheir second positions. in that second position of the initiatingroller, the edge portion 4 of the container has at least reached theroot of the cam surface 8 of the initiating roller 6 and furtheradvancement directs said edge portion 4 downwardly relative to thecontainer walls 2.

Further advancement of the second shaft during rotation causes thetoggle arm 16 and the curling roller 10 to move to their secondpositions. By movement of the curling roller 10 from the first to thesecond position the cam surface 12 of the curling rollers contacts theedge portion 4 and rolls the edge portion 4 of the container upwardlyand inwardly toward the walls 2 of the container. At the second positionof the curling roller 10, the edge portion of the container is rolledthrough an are greater than the desired arc of the resultant container.The power means 26 thereafter returns the elements of the apparatus totheir first positions, the resilience of the container material causesthe edge portion to spring partially back to remain at a desiredconfiguration, and a new cycle is initiated.

The final desired edge portion configuration and the resilience of thematerial are utilized to determine the number of degrees through whichthe edge portion of the container is urged and are matters of choice.For forming a rolled edge by this apparatus, it is preferred that theedge portion 4 be rotated through at least 270 to form a sturdy rollededge on the container. By adjusting the power means 26 to advance theapparatus greater distances, it can be seen that a resultant roll can beformed having a 360 curl or greater.

By so constructing the apparatus of this invention and positioning thevarious rollers at arcuately spaced apart locations about the commonaxis, a high degree, uniform roll can be formed on a container edgeportion with reduced danger of damaging the container edge portion.

Other modifications and alterations of this invention wiil becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing discussion and.accompanying drawing, and it should be understood that this inventionis not to be unduly limited thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for curling an edge portion of a container, comprising:

at least one initiating roller having a cam surface, said roller beingrotatable about an axis of an adjacent container and movable along thecontainer axis between a first position at which the cam surface isspaced from the container edge portion and a second position at which aportion of the container edge portion is lying along the cam surfacethat extends outwardly and downwardly relative to the walls of thecontainer;

at least one curling roller having a cam surface, said curling rollerbeing rotatable about the axis of the container, spaced an arcuatedistance from the initiating roller relative to the container axis andmovable between a first position at which the cam surface of thecurlling roller is spaced from the container edge portion and a secondposition at which a portion of the container edge portion is lying alongthe cam surface of the curling roller that extends inwardly and upwardlyrelative to the walls of the container; and

means for rotating the initiating roller along the container edgeportion and moving said roller between its first and second positionsand for rotating the curling roller along the container edge portion andmoving said roller between its first and second positions after theinitiating roller has reached the second position.

2. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means comprises:

a supporting element having first and second ends, said first end havingthe initiating roller rotatably attached thereto and being arcuatelyspaced from the second end;

a toggle arm having first and second ends with the curling rollerrotatably attached to said second end, said toggle arm being pivotallyconnected to the second end of the supporting element for movementbetween a first position at which the curling roller is at its firstposition and a second position at which the curling roller is at itssecond position;

a first shaft having an axis, an end, and an upper portion with a slotformed therethrough, the end of said first shaft being attached to thesupporting element, rotatable about its axis, and movable along its axisfrom a first position at which the initiating roller is at its firstposition and a second position at which the initiating roller is at itssecond position;

a second shaft having an end portion, an end, a longitudinally extendingchamber opening on the second end and having the upper end portion ofthe first shaft slidably mounted therein and a conical cam surface onthe end portion extending downwardly and inwardly toward the end, saidsecond shaft being rotatable about its axis and movable along its axisbetween a first position at which the initiating and curling rollers areat the first positions and a second position at which the first end ofthe toggle arm is in contact with the conical cam surface, and thecurling roller is at its second position;

a pin extending through the slot of the first shaft and affixed to thesecond shaft for rotatably affixing the first shaft to the second shaftand slidably mounting the first shaft within the second shaft;

biasing means urging the end of the first shaft in an axial directionfrom the end of the second shaft, said biasing means being compressibleby forces exerted on the first shaft by the edge portion of the cartonfor maintaining the second shaft at its first position until the firstshaft has reached its second position; and

power means for rotating and reciprocating the second shaft andassociated elements along and about the axis of a coaxially, adjacentlypositioned container.

3. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the supporting elementhas a plurality of first and second ends with an individual initiatingroller attached to each of the first ends and an individual curlingroller attached to each of the second ends.

4. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the power sourceadvances the second shaft toward the container at one rate duringmovement of the initiating roller from the first to the second positionand thereafter advances the second shaft toward the container at agreater rate during the movement of the curling roller from the first tothe second position.

5. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the cam surface ofeach roller is of substantially the same configuration and the axis ofrotation between the initiating roller and the curling roller areangularly disposed about 60 apart when the curling roller is at itssecond position.

6. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, including means for rotatingthe container about its axis.

7. A method for curling an edge portion of a container, comprising:

rotating at least one initiating roller about the edge portion of thecontainer;

urging the container edge across a cam surface of said roller andoutwardly and downwardly relative to the walls of the container; and

thereafter rotating at least one curling roller about the outwardly anddownwardly directededge portion of the container, said curling rollercontacting the edge portion of the container at a position spaced alongthe edge portion a distance from the initiating roller; and

urging the edge portion upwardly and inwardly toward the walls of thecontainer with the curling roller.

urging the edge portion upwardly and inwardly toward walls of 5 thecontainer at a plurality of spaced apart locations along the containeredge portion.

9. A method, as set forth in claim 7, including advancing the initiatingrollers against the edge portion of the container at one rate whileurging the edge portion outwardly and downwardly and thereafter urgingthe initiating roller against the edge portion at a different rate.

1. An apparatus for curling an edge portion of a container, comprising:at least one initiating roller having a cam surface, said roller beingrotatable about an axiS of an adjacent container and movable along thecontainer axis between a first position at which the cam surface isspaced from the container edge portion and a second position at which aportion of the container edge portion is lying along the cam surfacethat extends outwardly and downwardly relative to the walls of thecontainer; at least one curling roller having a cam surface, saidcurling roller being rotatable about the axis of the container, spacedan arcuate distance from the initiating roller relative to the containeraxis and movable between a first position at which the cam surface ofthe curling roller is spaced from the container edge portion and asecond position at which a portion of the container edge portion islying along the cam surface of the curling roller that extends inwardlyand upwardly relative to the walls of the container; and means forrotating the initiating roller along the container edge portion andmoving said roller between its first and second positions and forrotating the curling roller along the container edge portion and movingsaid roller between its first and second positions after the initiatingroller has reached the second position.
 2. An apparatus, as set forth inclaim 1, wherein the means comprises: a supporting element having firstand second ends, said first end having the initiating roller rotatablyattached thereto and being arcuately spaced from the second end; atoggle arm having first and second ends with the curling rollerrotatably attached to said second end, said toggle arm being pivotallyconnected to the second end of the supporting element for movementbetween a first position at which the curling roller is at its firstposition and a second position at which the curling roller is at itssecond position; a first shaft having an axis, an end, and an upperportion with a slot formed therethrough, the end of said first shaftbeing attached to the supporting element, rotatable about its axis, andmovable along its axis from a first position at which the initiatingroller is at its first position and a second position at which theinitiating roller is at its second position; a second shaft having anend portion, an end, a longitudinally extending chamber opening on thesecond end and having the upper end portion of the first shaft slidablymounted therein and a conical cam surface on the end portion extendingdownwardly and inwardly toward the end, said second shaft beingrotatable about its axis and movable along its axis between a firstposition at which the initiating and curling rollers are at the firstpositions and a second position at which the first end of the toggle armis in contact with the conical cam surface, and the curling roller is atits second position; a pin extending through the slot of the first shaftand affixed to the second shaft for rotatably affixing the first shaftto the second shaft and slidably mounting the first shaft within thesecond shaft; biasing means urging the end of the first shaft in anaxial direction from the end of the second shaft, said biasing meansbeing compressible by forces exerted on the first shaft by the edgeportion of the carton for maintaining the second shaft at its firstposition until the first shaft has reached its second position; andpower means for rotating and reciprocating the second shaft andassociated elements along and about the axis of a coaxially, adjacentlypositioned container.
 3. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, whereinthe supporting element has a plurality of first and second ends with anindividual initiating roller attached to each of the first ends and anindividual curling roller attached to each of the second ends.
 4. Anapparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the power source advancesthe second shaft toward the container at one rate during movement of theinitiating roller from the first to the second position and thereafteradvances the second shaft toward the container at a greater rate duringthe movement of the curling roller from the first to the secondposition.
 5. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the camsurface of each roller is of substantially the same configuration andthe axis of rotation between the initiating roller and the curlingroller are angularly disposed about 60* apart when the curling roller isat its second position.
 6. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1,including means for rotating the container about its axis.
 7. A methodfor curling an edge portion of a container, comprising: rotating atleast one initiating roller about the edge portion of the container;urging the container edge across a cam surface of said roller andoutwardly and downwardly relative to the walls of the container; andthereafter rotating at least one curling roller about the outwardly anddownwardly directed edge portion of the container, said curling rollercontacting the edge portion of the container at a position spaced alongthe edge portion a distance from the initiating roller; and urging theedge portion upwardly and inwardly toward the walls of the containerwith the curling roller.
 8. A method, as set forth in claim 7, includingsimultaneously urging the edge portion outwardly and downwardly at aplurality of spaced apart locations along the container edge portionwith a plurality of initiating rollers and simultaneously urging theedge portion upwardly and inwardly toward walls of the container at aplurality of spaced apart locations along the container edge portion. 9.A method, as set forth in claim 7, including advancing the initiatingrollers against the edge portion of the container at one rate whileurging the edge portion outwardly and downwardly and thereafter urgingthe initiating roller against the edge portion at a different rate.